Match-receptacle.



I PATENTED MAY 26, 1908. N. BULL & F. BLOM-OHLSEN.

MATCH RECEPTAGLE. APPLIOAl'ION FILED MAY 2, 1907/ g' ow:

, THE mmms PETERS cm. WAsHlqaroN, D. c

' rmrTEn STATES PATENT oEErcE.

NILS O. BULL, OF KONGSVINGER, NORWAY, AND FREDRIK BLOM-OHLSEN, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

MATCH-RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed May 2, 1907. Serial No. 371,381.

and FREDRIK BLOM-OHLSEN, subjects of the King of Norway, residing,respectively, at Kongsvinger, Norway, and borough of Brooklyn, city andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMatch-Receptacles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Our invention relates to a construction of match safe or receptacle forcontaining safety matches of that type which light only on a preparedsurface of the box.

By the present invention a magazine is provided to receive a supply ofthese match oxes, and to permit the matches thereof to be obtained onlyone by one, and to be ignited on the prepared surface above mentioned.

The only form of match which is regarded as really safe is that kind,above mentioned, which will not light on ordinary surfaces, but has tobe scratched on a prepared surface, which is usually furnished on theside of the box in which the matches are packaged. These matches arealmost universally put up in small oblong wooden boxes about two incheslong or thereabouts, and are widely used in connection with specialholding de vices for conveniently supporting the box. In view of thefact that this style of match and its boxes have become in a sensestandardized, it is possible to provide a magazine or storage receptaclefor the boxes, and

which serves special purposes, as in the present invention.

The aim of our present invention is to receive and store a number ofthese boxes of matches so as to have an adequate supply, but have themso contained in their receptacle that all of the matches of each boxmust be individually used up one by one before another box may beobtained from the magazine. In this way it is possible to have a matchsafe hung in any public place, and filled with boxes of matches, withoutthe liability of unscru ulous persons helping themselves to an un uesupply.

The apparatus is further designed to be cheaply manufactured from sheetmetal, without the use of any expensive or specially manipulated looksor devices, but merely certain parts which are self-locking by theaction of the matches themselves. At the same time the match safe alwayspresents a box in such a way that -a surface is available to scratch thematches on, and this surface is renewed every time a new box of matchesis used.

With these purposes and objects in view the invention consists in thefeatures of construction and combination hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view.

partly in section of a match safe or receptacle embodying the principlesof our inven- 'tion; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same partly insection; Fig. 3 is a view partly'in section, looking downward on the topof the receptacle.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are designated by the samereference sign, 1 indicates a plate or base which con stitutes the mainsupport for the receptacle. This plate is conveniently made with a hole2, near its upper end by which it may be hung on the wall or convenientplace.

3 indicates a similar hole at the bottom of at its lower end by theplate 5, and at its upper end has a device for receiving the individualmatches and for locking the boxes against removal.

A practical form of this device is illustrated in the drawing and whichhas a U- shaped metallic frame or tray 6, loosely fitting in the upperend of the tubular body 4, and which has depending strips 7, extendingdownward through the body to the base plate 5 thereof (see particularlyFigs. 1 and 2). These strips may have further upward extensions 8, ifdesired, which project through an out-turned rim 9, on the body 4. Thedisposition and arrangement of the tray 6, and the strips 7 is such thatthe tray and strips may be drawn upward through the body 4 until thelower bent-over ends 10 of the strips 7 are drawn up against the. ledgewidtlr of the slot is, however, not sufficient to draw more than one ortwo matches from the tray at a time. The cover plate 11 is not fixed inplace, but is made hinged to the tray 6, at the point 14. The locationof this hinge is, however, somewhat below the upper edge 15, of thecorresponding side of the main body 4, so that a shoulder 16, isproduced on the hinged plate 11 which prevents the plate being openedupward unless it, together with the tray, are first drawn out of themagazine or body 4. As will presently appear, the tray and its cover arelocked against such upward movement as long as there are any matches inthe tray. W'hile we have shown this practical construction of the trayand its locking cover, we do not, of course, desire to be limited orrestricted thereto, since they may be made of widely varyingconstruction and still secure the essential function, that is to say, oflocking the cover of the tray except when the latter is allowed to bedrawn upward from the body of the receptacle 4.

The practical means which we h ave shown for locking the tray againstupward with drawal as long as it contains any matches, preferablyincludes prongs or lugs 17, integral with, or fixed to project from, oneside of the main body 1. These prongs 17 overlie the bottom of the tray6, but the tray is cut away beneath the prongs so that it may be drawnupward past the same, unless there is an intervening object. The cutawayportions of the tray for this purpose are shown at 18, and it will benoted that the cut away parts are large enough to pass the projections.If, however, there are matches contained in the tray 6, one or more ofthese matches is certain tofall in. atransverse position beneath theprongs 17, and in this relation such match acts in conjunction with theprongs as a looking bar or bolt and prevents upward movement of thetray.

The lower end of the tubular body or magazine 4 has lateral openings 19and 20, of which 19 is not sufficiently high to permit the withdrawal ofa box therethrough. This opening merely provides a space through whichthe prepared side of the box is exposed to scratch matches on. Theopening 20 is large enough to permit the withdrawal of the box from themagazine. A prepared face of the box is also presented through theopening 20 on which to scratch matches.

Under normal conditions it is impossible to withdraw a box of matchesthrough the opening 20, because the passage is barred by the dependingstrips 7 with their extensions 8. It is only when the tray 6 is drawn upward together with its depending strips 7 that the opening 20 isavailable for withdrawing a box from the magazine.

The operation is as follows: The match safe or receptacle beinginitially empty, is first filled with boxes by pulling upward the tray6, and inserting the boxes, one by one, through the opening 20, untilthe magazine is filled. Matches are then poured into the tray 6 until itis well supplied. The tray is then pushed down into the body ofthemagazine, and in this movement the cover plate 11. is pushed over thetray and the strips 7 are simultaneously thrust across the opening 20.When the tray has been fully pushed down, so thatthe prongs 17 are movedpastthe openings 18 of the tray, matches from the tray fall beneath saidprongs 17, and thereafter everything is locked in position. Matchescannot be obtained from the tray except individually one by one, becausethe cover plate 1.1. only leaves a narrow slot 12 for their withdrzuval.At the same time it is impossible to obtain a full box from the lowerend of the magazine, because the only opening 20, which is large enough,is barred by the depending strips 7. This relation continues until thematches have been nearly exhausted from the tray 6. The last matchesavailable from the tray 6 are the ones beneath the prongs 17, and whenthese matches are finally taken out, the device is, of course, unlocked,so that a new box may be obtained from the magazine and its contentspoured into the tray.

What we claim, is

1. A match safe or receptacle having a magazine to receive match boxesand having 1 a supply of loose matches, and means for locking the boxesin the magazine until the supply of loose matches is used up.

2. A match safe or receptacle having a magazine to receive match boxesand having a supply of loose matches, means for pre venting the loosematches being obtained except individually one by one, and means forlocking the magazine against the withdrawal of any box until the supplyof loose matches is exhausted.

3. A match safe or receptacle having a magazine, a supply of loosematches, means for preventing the use of the loose matches exceptindividually one by one, and means locked by the last match available ofsaid supply for preventing the withdrawal of any box from the magazine.

4. A match safe or receptacle having a magazine adapted to receive asupply of loose matches, and means operated by one of said loose matchesfor locking the boxes in said magazine against withdrawal therefrom.

5. A match safe orreceptacle comprising a magazine and adapted toreceive a supply of loose matches, a cover plate for preventing saidloose matches being withdrawn except individually one by one, and meansmade effective by the last match available for locking said cover inposition.

6. A match safe or receptacle having a magazine or body adapted toreceive boxes, a tray in said magazine or body having depending strips,said magazine having an opening normally barred by said strips throughwhich the boxes may be withdrawn, and prongs overlying said-tray andcooperating with the matches therein to prevent its upward movementuntil the matches are exhausted;

7. A match safe or receptacle having a magazine or body adapted toreceive boxes, a

tray in said magazine or body having dependingstrips, said magazinehaving an opening normally barred by said strips through which the boxesmay be withdrawn, prongs overlying said tray and cooperating with thematches therein to prevent its upward movement until the matches areexhausted, and a cover plate normally locked in position over said traybut released by the upward movement thereof.

In witness whereof, we subscribe our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

N. O. BULL. FREDRIK BLOM-OHLSEN. Witnesses to signature of Bull: H. B.HRISTENDAHL, HENRY BONLLWIOH. Witnesses to signature of Blom-Ohlsen;

WALDO M. OHAPIN, WM. M. STOOKBRIDGE.

